


Pain

by ziva3014



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:07:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27405529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ziva3014/pseuds/ziva3014
Summary: Azula reflects on her life while in the mental institution. She gets an unexpected visitor.
Relationships: Aang & Azula (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	Pain

“Azula.” 

Azula shook her head frantically, trying to block out her mother’s voice. 

“Azula, please. Listen to me. I love you. I have always loved you.”

“Then why didn’t you help me?” Azula’s voice was raspy. 

“I didn’t know what to do. You seemed just like Ozai...I thought you were too far gone. I made a mistake. Please, Azula, come back. Redeem yourself.”

Azula gave a harsh laugh. “Redeem myself? From what? I did everything right, Mother. I tried to help Zuzu regain his honor he so ranted about until he betrayed me. I didn’t kill anyone besides the Avatar, and even then it was only for a little while. I took Ba Sing Se without killing anyone. But no one cares about that. No. They see the psychotic Princess Azula, who enjoys inflicting pain. I don’t. I have feelings. They just don’t want to see it.”

“I know, my daughter. That is why I’m here. You want me here.”

“You know nothing,” Azula hissed. “Leave me alone.”

Silence. Azula breathed out slowly, willing the pain to go away. But it never did. She floated in darkness, awash with pain, unable to move. She hated it. Added to that, she had too much time to think. What went wrong? I didn’t kill anyone. I helped Zuzu. I helped him, and this is the thank-you I get. 

Zuzu. When she was a child, that name was thought of and spoken of with affection. Now? There was nothing but hatred. She had offered him the chance to regain his honor when she didn’t have to. She looked out for him, comforted him in her own way. When she opened up, he didn’t say a single word. Azula would’ve welcomed an insult then, too. But he stayed silent. Azula’s older brother stayed silent. 

Azula clamped down on a sob. A flash of light. She looked up, startled. The Avatar. She snarled and tried to attack, but she couldn’t move. She settled for words instead. “Oh my, the savior of the world. Here to save a damsel in distress?”

The Avatar’s lips twitched. He cleared his throat. “Well, yes. I’m here to help you.”

Azula laughed once. “I suggest that you stop wasting your time. I can’t be helped. Why are you here anyways?”

“Zuko told me to help you.”

Azula blinked. “Zuzu? Oh, he’s suddenly taking on the big brother role, isn’t he? Well, go and tell him that it’s too late,” she hissed. “I gave him a chance to help me. He didn’t do anything.”

The Avatar looked troubled. “Well, he’s trying to help you now, Azula. I’m trying to help you. Please accept it. I know that you’re young, younger than Zuko. You didn’t have anyone to help you, when Ozai influenced you so you turned…”

“Into a monster?” Azula finished bitterly. 

“...No,” the Avatar said hesitantly. “You aren’t. You didn’t kill anyone, except for me. To be honest, I was surprised when I found that Mai, Ty Lee, and the Kyoshi Warriors were alive.”

Azula stared. “You...how…” she stammered.

“I like to believe the best in people.”

Azula regained her composure and said coldly, “Then you are a fool. I cannot be helped, Avatar. Get away from me.”

“Call me Aang,” he said cheerfully, ignoring her request. 

“I. Said. Go. Away.” Azula growled, trying to control her swirling emotions. Zuzu was trying to help her? The Avatar was trying to help her? Why? 

“No,” the Avatar said, breaking her thoughts. “I will help you, Azula, whether you like it or not.”

Azula was at a loss for words. “...Why?” she whispered.

“Because you’re only fourteen. You’re not a monster.”

Azula contemplated the words. She wanted to be helped. At the same time, she wasn’t sure if she could trust the Avatar. But… “Fine.”

The Avatar immediately brightened. “Great! I’m going to work on your mind...I don’t know if it’s going to hurt, but just trust me, okay?”

Trust. Azula loathed that word. She had trusted in Mai and Ty Lee, despite her constant reminder of “trust is for fools.” But wasn’t that what she was, now? “...Okay,” Azula breathed.

The Avatar’s eyes started glowing, and all Azula saw was white. But strangely, the pain was gone. For a moment, Azula floated in blissful whiteness. Then she was thrust into reality...where she was in a straitjacket on a wheelchair. The Avatar and Zuzu were standing in front of her. Azula stayed silent, but looked at him with confusion. What was he doing here? Was the Avatar telling the truth after all?

“Azula,” Zuzu said. 

“Zuzu,” Azula responded.

Suddenly, Zuzu lunged--and hugged her. Azula froze in shock. There were just too many surprises today. Azula’s head was about to blow up. 

“Zuzu?” Azula questioned, her voice trembling. “What-what are you doing?”

“Hugging my sis,” Zuzu replied, squeezing her slightly. “My beautiful, dangerous, crazy sis.”

Azula sat, shaking, wrapped in the embrace of-her brother-and she broke down again. She let go of all the hurt, the madness, all the times she spent with Ozai, training relentlessly, sporting burns and cuts, and the mental scars as well, all into the shoulder of Zuzu. The name was thought of with affection once more. She felt a great weight lift off her shoulder, and for the first time, Azula felt...free. Through her tears, Azula smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic...criticism appreciated, but not too strong, please! I'm only 14.


End file.
